I’ve always been a sensitive person.

Yes, in some ways I do mean the typical connotation of emotionally sensitive. But my sensitivity extends far beyond feelings into the physical realm. As someone with chronic illness, I have to be extremely careful what I put in and on my body. As I write this I’m just recovering from a mild bout of food poisoning from a piece of meat that was just a touch on the wrong side of fresh. I spent yesterday in the bathroom and sleeping. I’ll spare you the details and just say this: yesterday was not uncommon for me. What might be fine for most people, has a huge impact on someone like me. In the 20 years since I’ve been dealing with chronic illness I’ve come to realize how important it is to know what I’m putting in my body.

Some people praise me for the care I take with myself but really, it’s not option because if I don’t care, I’ll end up sick and unable to get out of bed. Some think me unlucky to have so many sensitivities. For a while I struggled with the kind of attention my body needs to be healthy. Now I think it’s a blessing. It’s made me aware of what I’m doing and how I’m feeling. I’m pretty much a self-care pro by now.

I’m not alone. There are more than 50 million Americans who have a chronic illness like Fibromyalgia or autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis and Lupus for whom checking labels and watching what they use is just a part of their daily routine.

Despite the extreme level of care I have to take, I see the positive in it. As I age I don’t worry about having to change my habits due to my health as I did that long ago.I’ve already eliminated pretty much anything that might negatively affect my health in the future, in favor of clean products and a simpler, more nature lifestyle. Now I can often tell when a food has something artificial in it. I’ve adjusted my taste buds so much by this point that it just tastes wrong. Still, there are times when my internal warning system misses something or I’m inexplicably drawn the one thing I shouldn’t have. That’s why I like to be informed.

Let me be clear. I have zero judgements about what you put in your body. Those are your choices to make. And, everyone’s internal bio-system is different so what dramatically affects me may not even register for your biome. I’ve just discovered that my life runs smoother, I’m healthier and more fulfilled when I stick to more natural foods and products. I’ve spent an enormous amount of time reading labels, and paying attention to how my body reacts to various things I expose it to.

Finding products that are focused on natural or organic ingredients is one of my past times. That’s what’s so appealing about ShiftCon, an ecowellness conference for social influencers. I can’t wait to learn about the latest products that are good for me and the planet at the same time.

I hope you’ll join me at ShiftCon. Use the code “VBETONYOURSELF” to get $50 off yourticket.

Being a Sensitive Person